


Dream World, A Prison

by FiveAM



Category: Pocket Monsters SPECIAL | Pokemon Adventures
Genre: Action, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:40:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25499974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FiveAM/pseuds/FiveAM
Summary: A Proof of Concept showing certain events that may have happened while Black was trapped in the Dream World.  Will feature time skips and won't be all-encompassing.
Relationships: Black/White (Pokemon Adventures)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 8





	Dream World, A Prison

**Author's Note:**

> I want to make it clear that this is not a proper story. It may be written like one would, but it's more along the lines of a proof of concept, showing a few different events that, to me, would've happened while Black was trapped in the Dream World (still surprised a true story about Black's day-to-day life in the Dream World hasn't been written). I was actually hesitant to post this, but after four straight days of writing it, I just said "screw it" and here we are.
> 
> Sorry to anyone who wanted a fully fledged story about Black's life inside the stone.
> 
> Disclaimer: Pokemon Adventures is managed by The Pokemon Company

"Did I pay it all back? The money for the equipment? Did I work it all off...prez…"

And with that, the only thing Black saw was a strong white light. He just hoped that the answer was 'yes'.

...

The next thing that Black was aware of was that he was falling.

When turning to stone, or in his case, becoming a stone, if he had to hypothesize what might happen, it would just be that his body would be essentially forced into a deep sleep, with no consciousness or awareness of the situation he was in.

That wasn't the case. He was fully conscious and aware of the movements he was making. He was only able to think about this for a short time before he hit ground. His sense of feeling was also fully intact, but he didn't feel pain, which was odd considering he probably fell a decent distance. Instead, he felt something soft, like he landed on a bed of cotton.

Finally looking up, he saw a beautiful landscape. The sky was awash with a mixture of orange, purple, and blue, and rainbows were everywhere. They weren't normal rainbows, though, as these seemed more like bridges. Getting a closer look, he realized that the land was several small islands. Even stranger, they were floating in mid air. He peered over the island that he was on to see several islands below him as cloud cover hid whatever else lied below that.

Black was in a strangely beautiful world, but he couldn't say that this was what he was expecting. He thought turning to stone would be similar to falling into a coma, and if it was a permanent change, death.

"...What is this place?"

"Welcome, Black."

"Who said that?!"

He swung his head around looking for the source of the voice.

"I did, Black. In this world, I can speak to you...Hero of Truth."

It clicked.

"Wait...RESHIRAM?"

"Yes. I want to thank you for the skill and determination you showed in our battle. I chose right when I decided that you were the one who should release me."

Black rubbed the back of his head, his cheeks turning pink.

"Oh, it was nothing, really. Heh heh."

His mind refocused on the situation at hand.

"Wait, did I really get sucked into the light stone?!"

"Unfortunately, you did."

"So...am I dead?"

"No. You are very much alive, but you are currently in a world other than your own."

With the most important question out of the way, he was able to return to his usual self.

"NO! How am I supposed to challenge the elite four, now that I don't even know where I am?!"

He flung his head around to face the sky and opened his mouth to speak.

"No, this place doesn't have a Pokemon League."

That answered Black's other big question.

"So, what is this place? Really?"

"This is the Dream World, the place Pokemon escape to when they are asleep, and the world that exists within both the light stone and the black stone."

"This is where you and Zekrom live."

"Essentially, yes, though I do not have a physical form in this world. My form is still the light stone, itself."

"So, why am I here, then?"

"Because you were not originally a part of the light stone, and anything that is absorbed during my transformation is always sent here, as a result."

"I see."

"Black, I want to apologize to you for bringing you here. It was not my intention that you were absorbed along with me. I want you to know, however, that you will be able to escape here, in the future."

"I will? How?"

"Are you familiar with the third dragon of Unova?"

"The third dragon? Hm, I believe I remember reading about something like that."

Reshiram gave Black no time to figure out the answer for himself.

"After Zekrom and I split into two beings, a third dragon was created, as well. Its name is Kyurem, belonging to neither truth nor ideals. It exists solely to look for the opportunity to merge with Zekrom and I again. It recently awoke when the two of us reverted from our respective stones, and it is only a matter of time before we cross paths."

"And when it attempts to merge with you, I will be able to get out of here?"

"Yes."

Black breathed a massive sigh of relief. He wasn't going to be trapped here forever."

"Listen to me, Black. Even if Kyerum's goals seem simple, it still possesses a massive destructive potential, and it will be very difficult for me to take it down. When the time comes that you will be able to return to your world, may I ask that, in return, you help me defeat Kyerum?"

Black didn't hesitate.

"Yes."

"Thank you. I can't promise you will be free soon, but someday, you will be free of this place."

Reshiram fell silent.

Black had a lot to come to terms with. He really was trapped in the light stone, but he wasn't dead or unconscious, instead transported to a different realm, the Pokemon Dream World. He would get out, but he didn't know when, and it would most likely happen when Reshiram and Kyerum crossed paths.

He could just sit around and hope that he would get out soon, but he decided that it wouldn't do him any good to do that. After all, he was Black, and he wouldn't just bide his time waiting for someone to rescue him. If he was going to be trapped in this world, he was going to make the best of it.

"Alright then."

He reached into his bag and pulled his poke balls out. In this world, he found that he could still use them, so he released all of his companions.

"Come on out, everyone."

Once they were all out, he knelt down and looked them all dead in the eyes.

"I have some bad news. We all got sucked into the light stone, and it doesn't look like we'll be getting out anytime soon."

He could see the panic they were feeling.

"I know you all are worried, but I promise you all that we will get out of here, one day. So, how about it? Are you willing to stick it out with me and make the best of it?"

His Pokemon wasted no time in agreeing with him, their trainer's confidence being enough to tell them that everything was going to be okay, here.

"Well then, I guess it's time for a new dream."

With his Pokemon beside him, he walked to the edge of the island they were on. He took a deep breath and screamed.

"WOOAH! LISTEN UP, DREAM WORLD! I"M GONNA ESCAPE, ONE DAY, AND I'M GONNA BECOME THE CHAMPION OF THE POKEMON LEAGUE! I'M REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY GONNA DO IT! I'M GONNA ESCAPE HERE AND THEN BEAT THE ELITE FOUR AND BECOME THE CHAMPION! JUST YOU WAIT"

His new vow was made, and he was going to make the a reality. For now, there wasn't anything more he could do other than explore the place he would now call his home.

"So, who's up for some exploring."

His Pokemon agreed and they were off.

On his face, a determined smile. It didn't matter the situation he was currently in, as he would be free. All he had to do was wait. The world would be a different place when he got out, and there would be things he would miss out on. His friends were probably grieving, though White might be grieving the hardest. His parents would be broken the news, and they would grieve, too. He wasn't going to be there to tell them he was fine and that they should just look to the future.

There was really nothing he could do to help them, right now, so he just had to focus on himself. Just focus and smile.

...

If there was one thing that would make living in the Dream World that much easier, it was the fact that he had found a small house he could live in. The Dream World was littered with houses, but when he looked inside them, they were all vacant. There were three rooms in each house and none of them had furniture in them besides a single treasure chest laying in the corner of the living room.

Oddly though, the house still had a lot of amenities inside of them. The had appliances, a backyard farm, a pond, electricity (somehow), and fully-functioning plumbing (again, somehow).

"Well, I know where I'm staying till this is all over."

He took claim to the third house he found, since all three were vacant and he could guess that the next few would be, too. Opening his house's treasure chest, he came upon a lot of different-colored objects, including several berries and catalogs.

Opening them up, he found that he had the ability to buy furniture for his home. It said 'buy' in the catalogs, but they were all free for him to get. He marked off several items he would need, including a dresser, couch, a couple chairs, a table, some dishes, and other items he would need to make his stay comfortable. He even had the opportunity to buy a big-screen TV and a computer.

Once he was finished, as if on cue, the door to his house opened and a bunch of clouds came inside carrying all of the items he just purchased. They were even nice enough to set everything up for him. This really was a dream world if it was this convenient to do something as simple as purchasing furniture. It was also a dream in that, for some reason, he could also buy a ferris wheel for his plot of land. As much fun as that would be, even he had to admit that was a bit impractical.

His stay in the dream world would be much more bearable, now. He had his own place to call home fully furnished and everything. However, shelter didn't solve one of his other needs, which was food. He was given berries, but only so many. However, there was a field in the back of his house.

The next step in learning to thrive was farming.

...

One of the many things Black had studied up on was berries. He had to if he wanted to be the best trainer in Unova. He knew about each type of berry and what benefits they had if they were fed to Pokemon.

He also knew how cultivation was supposed to work, but it was never something he actually did, before. At least he knew the most important steps of planting a berry and then watering it. After a few hours, he would have a fresh berry plant to harvest.

He spent a few minutes planting before moving on to watering the new spots. He was tempted to call out Costa to help him with it, but seeing as the only water moves it knew were Withdraw and Brine, a move defined by the water used having a high concentration of sodium, he didn't want to chance killing the berries. He was going to have to do this manually, using a watering can that was also stashed in the chest.

"I've seen Mom do this plenty of times to know how much water is enough."

His eyes widened and he pulled back on the can.

"...Mom."

He now was left wondering how long he had been trapped inside the stone for. Seeing as he only got hungry recently, he guessed it was only a few hours. Even for that amount of time, though, he wondered if it was enough that his parents were told about what had happened to him. There was also Bianca and Cheren who had to find out, too. Worse, it would fall on White to break the news, first, to someone else, and she couldn't have known what his current fate was.

If there was any good news for him and him alone, it's that he wouldn't have to see the reactions of everyone when they found out that he was sucked into the light stone. He was shown from Reshiram that the stone was flying through the air, meaning that White wasn't able to take it with her, making the whole thing that much harder for White to probably talk about. He already knew that White wouldn't have taken it well, considering the amount of travel they did together and how close they got to each other. Imagining her was the hardest reaction for him to think about among his three close friends. He also knew that Bianca wouldn't react much better, picturing her in a tight embrace with White as she held nothing back with her crying. That was just the type of person she was. As for Cheren, Black just hoped that he was able to break whatever mind games Team Plasma played on him to show just a little emotion.

All of that came in second to what he imagined when his parents found out. He always had a close relationship with his parents, and they were willing to do things other parents might not have for their kids, so much so that they moved to a different town when their son asked them to so he could be closer to the professor. They bought him books to read about Pokemon and how to be a good trainer. Perhaps most importantly, they were the ones who embraced his personality from the start, and actively encouraged him to dream big. For them to find out that his dream would be the very thing that got him involved with legendary Pokemon, an evil organization's schemes, and his fate of being sealed in the light stone, he just hoped they would find a way to handle the situation better than he imagined that they would. The image of his mother crying crushed him in a way that seeing White or Bianca do it wouldn't.

When he smiled, earlier, he was running off of the high of finding out that he was going to escape, but the reality of the situation was now setting in. He may not be getting out of here for a very long time to come, and everyone would be grieving because no one knew that he was okay.

...

The first month would be the transitional month. Black, after initially worrying about his friends and family back home, came to terms as best he could with everything. As hard as it was to imagine how upset they would be, there was nothing he could do about it. The most he could do was make the predicament that he was in as enjoyable as possible. That involved trying to have everything be as normal as possible.

He swore by routines while living in the Dream World. He would wake up when his body felt well enough rested, get dressed, scream his vow out with his Pokemon, do some exploring, come back to his home, harvest berries, try to relax, then go to bed. Something he learned after a couple nights is that the Dream World has no true nighttime. The sky will change colors, but there is never a time where the sun would truly set. The closet the sky got to that was orange and/or purple, so he figured that was the best time for sleep.

His TV wasn't just for show, as he found out that the light stone could also act as a satellite, so it could actually function, too. He just made sure to avoid news stations. He didn't need to see if there was coverage on his disappearance and search. It also had a built in radio, too, so that was an added benefit. Also, his laptop was really nothing more than a notebook that needed to be turned on. The laptop had no way of communicating with other people, cutting off what could've been a really viable method of trying to talk to his parents or White or anyone else. Essentially, it was an education computer, with notepads and a surprisingly deep encyclopedia talking about Pokemon psychology. He gave himself a homework assignment to try and record as much information as he could into his own notebook to give to Fennel when he got out.

The first full day he had to spend in the Dream World was one of the most painful days he had while trapped in the light stone. It all happened when he decided to try and train his Pokemon.

"Now, Costa, start out with Ice Beam."

Costa opened its mouth, but nothing came out.

"Weird. Try again, then."

Still nothing.

"Alright. I guess, Tula, use Electroweb."

Nothing from him, either.

"Wha...oh no."

A short talk with Reshiram confirmed it: his Pokemon couldn't use moves in the Dream World.

"No...no. no. Please tell me you're wrong."

"You know I can't tell you a lie."

"No. No...no...no…"

It had been awhile since he actually felt himself cry.

"My...my dream...I...can't…"

Like a few times previously, the shock was enough for him to pass out.

Black was already becoming aware of the difficulties that would come from living in the Dream World, most notably, the complete lack of human companionship, but not being able to have his Pokemon fight may have been even harder for him to accept. This was his passion after all, the very thing that made him feel alive and fulfilled. Without it, he wondered who he was.

Once he woke up in the house, seeing that his Pokemon carried him inside, the heartbreak he felt was right up there with when he thought Musha had abandoned him, and like that time, as well, it was a low point for him where he initially had no easy answers or solutions. He looked at his Pokemon, just a day previously, the very Pokemon he rallied to try and feel better about what had happened to them. Now, he had nothing.

"I...I don't know what we're supposed to do."

Unlike when Musha left, their presence wasn't enough for him to refocus on their dreams. He didn't have any good answers. Musha tried to eat his dreams to try and help him think of something, but there wasn't any use in doing so. His abilities as a Pokemon didn't exist in the Dream World.

Black simply removed Musha from his head, looked at him, and seeing the tears forming in his Pokemon's eyes, just hugged it. The rest of his Pokemon joined in.

The Dream World was beautiful, but it didn't discriminate. Every Pokemon that came into it would be just like all the rest. No moves, no abilities, no typings. It wasn't just the trainer who had to deal with the pain. His Pokemon had their own harsh realities to deal with, too.

Yesterday, he vowed to leave. Today, he cried because he couldn't leave fast enough.

...

One of the major things Black did while trapped was make a promise to better himself. This mainly took the form of exercising. While his exercise on Earth was the journey he was taking, since he was trapped, he decided to start doing more detailed workouts. What was simple running and cardio on Earth turned into push-ups, sit-ups, weights, and other workouts that he thought made sense. His Pokemon, inspired by their trainer's determination, joined him in his exercises, as well.

Also, for as much as he enjoyed eating berries, and was getting quite good at cultivating them, it did get less pleasant when berries were all that he had to eat. Since he had all the time in the world, he figured that now would be a good time to try and develop any sort of cooking skills.

The first couple times yielded less than positive results, with many fruits left over as a backup plan, but as time went on, he managed to improve. His biggest flaw at the beginning was the same flaw he suffered during his journey, not being able to focus on anything other than his dream. He also couldn't rely on Musha to help him since his ability to do that was blocked in the Dream World.

It was in a panic that he realized that, considering the situation he was in, this was similar to a Pokemon battle. He never used Musha for those because he believed it fell on him to create a strategy that would allow them to win. Being caught in this world, his goal as a trainer was to help them survive and escape. After that, his focus on cooking became much better. Purees, smoothies, juices, and a few desserts became mainstays for him.

He also began to enjoy farming, too. While also doubling as a good workout, the fact that he knew how to grow berries made him feel like a particularly special Unovan. Unova had a lack of fertile soil to plant crops in, and with the exception of a few artificial farms that were set up in the region and whoever felt like gardening, most of the food Unova received was through trade deals with other regions. His new skill made him feel like he would have bragging rights when he left.

Later on, through his own investigations, he would come to find that the Dream World did, in fact, have other food options. Because this was a place that existed purely for the dreams of Pokemon, they could essentially wish for certain things to exist and they would show up in either catalogs, if too big to fit inside of the chest, or the actual items, themselves. The houses being able to be furnished, complete with working appliances and electronics that included a TV and radio that were actually able to get signals, was because that was how the Pokemon know their trainers lived, and they wanted all of it to be present.

Whether it was his Pokemon who wanted it for him, or even if the Dream World sensed Black's own wants, he started finding things like vegetables, grains, and even meat, every now and then, while scavenging the chest when he woke up each morning. Everything was always fresh, but he would have to cook them if he wanted a hot meal, but with practice, it wasn't anything he couldn't figure out how to properly do.

There was a sense of pride he gained as he improved, whether it be cooking, exercising, farming, or something else. It just made him feel like he was using his time well and that, despite the situation, he was still doing things right.

...

True to this world being the Dream World, Black would find many Pokemon when he was out exploring the world. The best luck he had was at the Island of Dreams, which housed a few different areas that different types of Pokemon would be found, including Pleasant Forest, Sparkling Sea, and Icy Cave.

Despite Pokemon not having types in this world, it didn't take away from the fact that there were just some areas that Pokemon preferred living to others. Of course Ice types preferred living in caves to forests.

For Black, though, there was little he could do with them. The most he could do was play with them, and while he certainly enjoyed it, he wasn't Alder, getting wrapped up in the whole thing that he loses track of time. For someone whose dream it was to simply escape from this world, everything else, other than surviving, came in a distant second, and it wouldn't take long before he just wanted to pack it up and either keep moving or head back to the house.

He also never saw the same Pokemon twice.

"Reshiram?"

"Yes, Black?"

"How come the Pokemon I see here never come back?"

"Because this is only a minuscule portion of the Dream World, which is so vast that you wouldn't be able to comprehend it. No Pokemon almost ever visits the same place twice, and some places stay vacant over the course of a Pokemon's entire life."

Suddenly, a thought came up. It was very unlikely, but there was a chance that either Bianca's Oshawatt, Cheren's Snivy, or Gigi would fall asleep and come here. With that, he would have a feint chance of communication between himself and the outside world.

However, besides not being likely to happen anyway, there was a chance he would miss it if he was back at his house. There was no way he could stay in those areas forever, though. He still had to eat, drink, and sleep, and he couldn't blow off his duties as a trainer to his Pokemon, either.

He wanted so bad to believe that that plan would have potential, but it wasn't right for him to focus on it. He had his own duties he had to perform, too.

"Reshiram?"

"Yes, Black?"

"Please...I need you to promise me that I will get out of here."

"You will, Black. You will."

Black hesitated for a bit.

"Alright. Thank you."

...

"Hey, Reshiram."

"Yes, Black?"

"I'm not sure you're who I should talk to about this, but I just want to talk with someone. How do you think everyone has been doing?"

"You mean your friends and family, right?"

"Yes."

"I can't say for certain, but they are probably still upset that you haven't returned yet."

Black shifted uncomfortably on the grass.

"I can't see them from where we are, but from what I saw, it seemed like you had good people by your side. I don't think they would forget about you."

"How long has it been?"

"Ten months."

"Wait, really?!"

He shot up from his spot. Hearing it made it simultaneously feel too long and shorter than he thought. On the one hand, ten months passing meant he was getting ever closer to being released. On the other, it was already ten months, and it didn't feel like he was any closer to getting out. There was no hope in his friends or family finding him, since Reshiram showed him the course the light stone was taking being thousands of feet off of the ground, and whenever he asked about Kyurem, Reshiram responded how the Pokemon still didn't have enough power to effectively draw either them or Zekrom towards it.

"Is Kyurem any closer to drawing you towards it?"

"No. I can still barely feel it."

Black began to get impatient.

"Well, you're the one who's piloting this thing. Can't you just fly us towards the energy you are feeling?"

"That's not how it works. As the light stone, we are only guided by the energy we feel is the strongest, and right now, that isn't even in Unova."

"WHAT!?"

All this time, Black thought that the stone was just circling Unova. He was never aware that the stone was flying over different regions.

"ARE YOU SERIOUSLY TELLING ME THAT WHEN I GET OUT OF HERE, I MAY NOT EVEN BE IN UNOVA WHEN IT HAPPENS!?"

"If it's not where Kyurem is, then no."

Black took some time for that statement to fully register. Once it did, he took a calm seat where he originally sat and sighed.

"All I want is to get out of here and take part in the Pokemon League. Why does everything that happens to me have to have more steps than they should?"

"You are a hero, aren't you? That usually comes with the territory."

Black wasn't sure whether to be flattered or annoyed. He just decided to leave it be and laid back down.

"What is your family like?" Reshiram asked.

"Well, my parents are wonderful. They've supported my dream from the moment I was born, and even though I can get really caught up in pursuing it, they were never bothered by it. I even managed to convince them to move to a different town just so I could be close to my region's professor."

"When was this?"

"When I was five."

"Impressive."

"Thanks. My mom is a great lady, always caring, always on top of things. My dad has a little bit less patience than she does, but he's a great guy, too. He's the one who bought me all of my books that I have back in my room."

"Sounds like you have some good parents. What about your friends?"

"Well, Bianca...let's just say that she's not the most dependable person in the world. She's prone to getting answers wrong and is very clumsy, but she's fiercely loyal and she'd do anything for me if I needed her to. I've known her and Cheren since I was really young."

He went quiet for a couple seconds when Cheren came to mind.

"I just hope Cheren's back to his old self, now."

"What happened to him?"

"Team Plasma got to him, made him think that strength was the only thing that should be pursued as a trainer...but I know him, and I know that deep down, his old self is just waiting to come back, if it hadn't already. He was too kind to stay the way he was for the rest of his life."

"What about the other girl? The one who was with you on that day?"

"Boss…"

"Boss?"

"That's what I call her. Either that or Prez, but her real name is White. She runs a talent agency that rents out Pokemon to be used in things like films and ads."

"And since you call her that, you are her underling?"

"Yeah. It was kind of by accident. We met by chance one day at a film shoot for a commercial. She was working while I was just passing through. I accidentally burned up the equipment they used to film everything while trying to help them get rid of Tula, who was wild at the time. She hired me to work off the debt and so she could use Bo in a few films, too."

"Even for a rough start like that, you two are close, though."

"Yeah...we really are. She's awesome. She's thoughtful, nice, pretty, really good at what she does, and she's just as determined to achieve her dream as I am. I'm really happy I was able to travel with her, and I was so happy to see her become a great trainer, too."

"You really do care a lot for her."

"After all we've been through, how could I not?"

"After you get out, you should make her the first person you meet up with."

"Shouldn't that go to my parents?"

"They weren't the ones who watched you get trapped in here. When we flew away, I could hear her crying out for you."

Black didn't want to think about how much pain she was probably in when she saw the stone flying off.

"Between her being the one to see what happened, as well as how close you two have become, I think you owe it to her to make her the first one to see you come back."

Black stayed silent for a moment.

"Okay."

"You have some good people in your life, Black. Make sure you don't forget that."

"Thanks, Reshiram. I'm glad I'm able to actually talk to you. Being the only human here, it's been lonely."

...

One morning, Black woke up to be nagged by his thoughts. It had been over a year since he was trapped in the stone. Nothing had happened. He was still inside the stone, and the routines didn't change.

By now, he was fifteen. His birthday came and went, and while he celebrated with his Pokemon and a music station he found as one of the TV channels playing current hits, it wasn't the kind of party he would've had at home, with a cake and presents. Now especially, he mostly missed just spending it with his parents, Cheren, and Bianca.

He missed New Year's, and unlike his birthday, this was just a time that signified how long he was trapped in the stone for, and how long he still had to go. He wanted to celebrate another year closer to getting out, and he tried, but there was also the thought of him being trapped in the stone for another year, too. He was closer to getting out, but more time would have to be spent here, so this holiday just brought about mixed emotions.

There were other holidays he missed, too, birthdays his friends would have, his parents' anniversary. That's not even getting into if he missed any family members dying. He had a couple aunts and uncles, his grandparents on his mom's side, and his grandmother on his dad's side. His grandfather died when Black was eight, and he just hoped that, whatever happened in death, it was far more fulfilling than what he felt being here in the Dream World.

The worst thought was the thought of where the world was moving without him. He trusted his family, Bianca, Cheren, and White to not forget him, but everyone else was fair game. For all he knew, when he returned, everyone would have already forgotten about what he did in the events leading up to his current fate. There would be a new Champion, the Elite Four might change. People would move on with their lives because that's what people do. Even worse, just because his friends would never forget him doesn't mean that they would have time for him. Would Cheren or Bianca find new passions that would take up all of their time?

Would White have no time or use for him as her business grew and hired on more people?

He knew he could rely on his parents to have time for him. His friends, though, he wasn't sure.

After getting dressed and making his way out to the edge of his island, he inhaled as his Pokemon expected him to deliver their vows.

"AAAHHHH! LISTEN UP! I WILL GET OUT OF HERE! I WILL MAKE UP FOR LOST TIME! AND I WILL BECOME THE CHAMPION! JUST YOU WAIT AND SEE!"

His Pokemon noticed it was shorter than usual, but they were quite happy with it, nonetheless. Then they took a look at Black. Rather than seeing his face plastered with a stupid grin, he was breathing heavily. His eyes, which usually lit up, were filled with anxiety.

"I want out of here. I want out of here and I will do anything to make that happen."

He then dropped to his knees as he started to shed some tears.

"Please...just let us out. Please, whoever is destined to do it. Kyurem, Reshiram, anyone else...please let us out."

By this point, his crying was more unrestrained.

"I want to get out...I want so bad to get out. I want to be free. I want to see my parents, I want to see Cheren, I want to see Bianca...I really want to see White, again. Please, just let us out...please...please...please...please…"

His Pokemon ran to him, trying what they could to make him feel better. Seeing their trainer so broken, though, they weren't sure anything could help him. In a bid of desperation, they piled on him, attempting to comfort him with a group hug.

Seeing their faces just as tear-stained as his, and wanting so badly to not see him sad, he couldn't help but be moved, and tried as best he could to reciprocate the hug as best he could.

"Thank you, guys. I needed this."

...

Life in the Dream World for Black was never a day of living as the same person twice in a row. One day, his resolve would win out, and he would tackle the day knowing he would get out. The next day, he would be indifferent, with the same routine of going though yet another day trapped in the light stone. Some days, he would be angry, and would be pushed to work harder than he would on other days, doubling his workout lengths with the extra adrenaline running through him. On his worst days, he would be sad, praying for a miracle that he would be released on that day for no reason other than because he thought he had suffered enough, and that would be good enough for the light stone.

He never felt out of touch, though. With the light stone being its own satellite, he still had access to tv and radio, though how exactly that was possible was something only Reshiram would probably know, and the answer would be so sciency and fly so far over his head that he didn't even bother asking.

As the months rolled by, at least physically, he felt he had done all he could do to better his situation and make it feel as normal to him as possible. He was working out and his body was well-toned, he was now a master of farming, he watched movies with his Pokemon, he listened to music, he got really good at cooking, he took notes in a couple notebooks he had regarding the encyclopedia that was on the laptop the Dream World had.

For all of that, though, he still didn't have the one thing he missed above all else, and that was human contact with somebody. Black was always someone who was never going to wait for anyone else, making him a bit of an outcast compared to others.

Bianca and Cheren were really his only two friends all throughout his childhood, and precisely why that was, he wasn't sure. After all, he's gotten on their nerves plenty of times in the past, and yet, they still saw him as a friend. After that, it was White, which really only happened through a combination of circumstance and bad luck. Even if Tula wasn't around when they first met, the only reason she would've had to talk to him was because he just happened to have a male Tepig at the exact moment she needed to have one for a project the BW Agency was hired for.

That, in a way though, was what made them that much more important to him. For the people who would stick by his side and be friends with him despite his flaws, he would run through a brick wall for them. Really, it was the very reason he was trapped in the light stone. This was the best option for everyone involved. It was just him. Everyone else was free to continue living their lives, making their dreams come true.

He hated being the only person here, away from all other humans, but if that meant that no one else would suffer this fate, as well, free to live their dreams and be surrounded by their loved ones, then he wouldn't hesitate to take this whole thing on, again. He was the only casualty, and that was for the best.

All of this came to mind about six months before he would be released. One day, he was mulling over why he was in this situation, and he found the resolve that it was the best for all parties. A year and a half of his mind slowly being consumed by his dream of wanting to escape, eclipsing his dream of mastering the Pokemon League, he never stopped to think about whether this was the outcome he wanted. All his focus was on was that he didn't want to be here, that he would get out, and while he was here, he would make the best of the situation he was put in. Once he thought it, it was clear that he would rather this happen than have anyone else go through, instead.

It was this that he found a resolve. No more crying, and no more sadness. His mind would try hard to make him relapse into sadness and desperation. Not again. Now, he was truly determined to really make the best of each day. No more sadness, and anger would become determination. It had already fueled him well in the first year of being here, with the intense workouts doing wonders for his body, and the extra work in the garden giving him massive harvests. If he was indifferent, he would find something to push himself forward.

Once he was inside the house, he found a black marker and found the blankest walls he could find. On them, he wrote several messages.

I WILL GET OUT OF HERE

I WILL MAKE THE BEST OF THIS FOR HOWEVER LONG I'M HERE

MY POKEMON ARE COUNTING ON ME

IT'S BEST THAT I WAS TRAPPED INSTEAD OF MY FRIENDS

I'VE SURVIVED THIS LONG, AND I CAN GO EVEN FARTHER THAN THAT

Once he had this all written out, he called his Pokemon and walked out to the edge of the island. With a deep breath, he delivered his vow.

"LISTEN UP! I WILL GET OUT OF HERE, AND I WILL DO IT FOR MY FRIENDS! I HAVE SURVIVED THIS LONG, AND I CAN TAKE HOWEVER MUCH TIME IT TAKES TO GET OUT! YOU CAN'T KEEP ME DOWN! I WILL MAKE THE BEST OF THIS SITUATION! JUST YOU WATCH!"

Taking a few breaths, he smiled. He felt as if a weight was lifted off of his shoulders. Now, his fight wasn't a fight to get out as fast as possible. It was to thrive in the situation he was put in. His friends wouldn't want him to change, they would want the Black that was there before everything happened, and he was determined to be that Black. Not depressed or insane, but joyous and dreaming.

Who he was from then on would be the best he had ever been since he was sucked in. No humans, no Pokemon battling or training, no pursuing his dream of becoming Champion, but as long as he had his head on straight and didn't allow himself to be consumed by the thoughts of being trapped, he would make it out.

Once he was finished, he walked to his gardens and began picking his lunch and dinner.

...

"Black!"

"Huh? Reshiram?"

"It's Kyurem. Its power is getting stronger."

Black knew what this meant.

"So...that means…"

"Before you say anything, I have something to tell you. Kyurem's power is increasing faster than what it would be doing if it was left to its own devices. It's been fighting, and once it fuse with either the light stone or dark stone, it will have the power to wreak havoc."

Black put the thought of escaping on hold. He remembers the promise he made Reshiram to help it defeat Kyurem in return for his escape.

"What do you need from me?"

"Do you have a plan?"

"I...uh...well no. I don't."

"I need you to think of something. The growing power of Kyurem could make it a dangerous force, and it's better if we take it down the moment one of the stones gets absorbed."

Since Black had become used to having to think without Musha, he got to work thinking up a plot.

"Reshiram, do you still have control of yourself when fused with Kyurem?"

"A little. Kyurem's in control of the body but I can still consciously think and make decisions."

"I have an idea, then. What if we were to get absorbed on purpose, then?"

"Are you sure?"

"You said I would be forced out once the fusion between you and Kyurem was finished, right? Well, in that case, let's fuse with him then, and attack him from the inside."

"And what if we don't reach it in time?"

"Then we'll just have to do everything we can to attack it from the outside. I'll be out, and I can help you battle him, then."

Black knew that he would get out, regardless, so he needed to be prepared for whichever plan would come to fruition.

"...This is actually it. I'm close to being out."

It didn't register at the beginning since he was blindsided by it, but now he could think about it. He would be free soon, free to see his family and friends, free to battle, free to fulfill his original dream.

But first, what lied in front of him.

"Where are we, right now?"

"North of Unova. Kyurem's power is coming farther down south."

"Okay. In the meantime, since I'm assuming you've fused with Kyurem, before, do you know exactly how we can attack from the inside?"

"I have ideas."

Reshiram and Black discussed a few, possible ways they could go about bringing down Kyurem. As time passed, Reshiram sensed that they were being followed.

"We have company, Black."

"Who is it?"

Reshiram spun the stone to show Zekrom flying behind it, as well as its rider.

"N!"

"I don't think they are here to grab us. Zekrom is just as attracted to the power Kyurem gives off as I am.

"Okay. At least, now, we have both of you together. You said the Dark Stone can lead into this world, too, right?"

"Yes."

"Then should he get sucked in, I'll fill him in on our plan."

As they flew, they started passing over the Entralink. By now, the stone was low enough that Black could make out faces from below him. As they were riding, he saw a figure making its way through the grass.

"Reshiram, can fly a little lower?"

The stone lowered slightly, and it was enough to see what the figure was. The dark hair, black boots, and white and pink hat was all he needed to see.

"Boss!"

"That is the same girl who was with you two years ago."

"Reshiram, we have to land!"

"Why?"

"Don't argue with me on this. Land the stone in the Entralink."

"You want her to find us?"

"Yes. I want to see her. Now land!"

"You certainly are a determined one, Black."

Black saw the stone immediately dive down to the ground, right to the center of the Entralink. Once a few minutes passed, White made her way to the stone.

Seeing her face again, after two long years, made her the single most beautiful sight he may have ever seen in his life. It wasn't just a human face he got to see, it was hers, even prettier than he remembered it being.

"White…"

It was the first time he ever called her by her actual name.

"I found you, Black."

He could hear her, but he so wished he could respond to her and have her hear him.

"You did, boss. It's wonderful to see you again."

...

The rest of the flight to Kyurem was Black running through the plan he and Reshiram came up with. He knew N would fight Kyurem, as his presence to this situation at all most likely meant that Kyurem's increased power was the result of Team Plasma, and listening to N talk about it only confirmed that theory. With N and Zekrom fighting Kyurem, the light stone would make a b-line for the Pokemon and essentially force the fusion between the two to take place. As the light stone began to react to Kyurem's presence, he would also forcibly bring White into the Dream World, too, to keep her safe from the ensuing battle that would take place between the three dragons. Once Kyurem was fully weakened, the separation of the two Pokemon would be the opening that would allow both him and White to escape.

Finally, he'd be free.

He was fully focused on executing this plan. That is, until he heard N talking about the light stone and how it veered off course while they were following it.

"It seems like it did that...so that you would find it."

Busted. Black let out a massive blush that might have shown through the stone.

"You having fun, Black?"

"Please shut up."

"I can see it."

N's words woke Black up from his awkwardness. Team Plasma's ship was dead ahead. Now the time came closer and closer to face off against Kyurem, and since Team Plasma was in control of it, it made taking it down all the more important. Black was gonna have to be very vigilant in finding an opening.

After a few moments, it happened. Kyurem showed itself, and on its back, the man responsible for Black's imprisonment. Black didn't feel rage when he saw Ghetsis again, but he did give a hard glare.

Before long, the fight finally began.

Black kept scanning for an opening for the stone to exploit, but the constant movement of the stone and White's firm hold on it made it almost impossible to find one. At least, Kyurem didn't immediately absorb Zekrom. There was a sense now that the fight, at least to Ghetsis, was more important than fusion. He wanted to beat N, first, then he would allow Kyurem what it wanted.

"I can't see a clear opening!"

"Your friend is making things harder for us to dive in."

"I know, but I know she won't let us go. At some point, we're gonna have to bring her inside."

He heard N tell White to run, telling her that Zekrom's fusion would force the light stone to revert back.

"Would you please tell him...tell Black...that I leave the rest to him?"

Black nodded.

"I'll do everything I can to win, N. Don't worry."

He saw White's arms clutch the stone as a light flashed behind them.

...

Once White landed on the beach, it was just a matter of waiting.

As the outcome was being decided, a splash took place out in the ocean. Black just wrote it off as debris from the fight and continued biding his time.

"Do you trust Zekrom to win this fight?"

"Zekrom is powerful, but against Kyurem, it's going to be very difficult. It may not be a good idea to wait for an outcome. We may have to approach the battle ourselves."

"You know White won't let us go."

"We'll have to try, though."

They then noticed another light flashing above them. Once the flash died out, a pressure started to be felt by the light stone, and Black knew exactly what that pressure was.

"No! Zekrom's fusing with Kyurem!"

"We can't wait! We have to reach them now!"

"Come on, Boss! Let go of us!"

Before they could try moving, though, it was clear to them that Zekrom had been reverted to the Dark Stone. N was nowhere to be seen.

"GO! NOW!"

They didn't even bother trying to free themselves from White's grasp before they took off in a b-line towards Kyurem.

"Reshiram, bring White inside the stone!"

Reshiram obliged, and forced the stone to absorb more energy, bringing White in.

"She's in."

"Good! Now hurry!"

Black started running towards the view, passing over a couple islands. He was hoping the stone would've made it to Kyurem in time, but a portal opened to show Zekrom being forced inside the Dream World, with chains extending from it to the hole that was opened, making it clear which Pokemon Kyurem absorbed.

"UOOOOHH! DAMMIT! THE DARK STONE GOT ABSORBED SO WE DIDN'T MAKE IT IN TIME!"

The hole in the sky closed, but there was just enough of a trace for the chains to show themselves anchoring Zekrom.

"EVEN THOUGH WE PLANNED SO HARD TO GET ABSORBED AND ATTACK KYUREM FROM THE INSIDE!"

He was so upset that they didn't make it that he wasn't aware of the two people standing behind him.

"...Bla-?...Black…"

As much as he wanted to be happy about reuniting with her, in-person, he so badly wanted it to happen once they were outside the stone. Now that she was inside, he knew he was going to have to explain himself to her.

"S-sorry, Prez. I thought it'd be bad to involve you, and I thought it'd be safe in the Dream World...uh...and dragged you in."

Now that he said it, he thought he probably should've started the bit by saying this was only temporary.

"But don't worry! Reshiram will awaken soon, and then we'll be able to go outside, right away. Uh, N! Could you attack Kyurem's insides instead of me? Reshiram and I will attack from outside, and...liberate the Dark Stone...you and Zekrom."

Of all the times Black could've reunited with people, it was when he was still inside the Light Stone. He wondered why it had to be now, inside the Dream World, as a massive battle was taking place between both sides. Trying to find anything to give this reunion some sense of normalcy, he redirected the conversation.

"Oh, that's right, Prez! Let's discuss my debt repayment plan again... heh heh...heh…"

His stammering was cut off. Around his waist, he felt two arms hugging him, holding him. It had been so long since he felt this, actual physical contact with someone. A hug, a real hug from another person, and that other person was the very woman he wanted to see before anyone else once he got out of the stone. It was awkward, but it felt amazing, and he almost didn't want it to end.

"Welcome back, Black."

"...I'm back...Is it okay for me to say that?"

They're moment was broken up by the Dream World suddenly starting to collapse around them.

"I cannot stop my awakening any longer!"

Wh-what? This voice…"

"It's Reshiram's voice! Reshiram, what's wrong?"

"Kyurem has just now regained Zekrom and became Black Kyurem. Look."

Reshiram got rid of the sky to show the outside, and in front of them showed a beast of a Pokemon, all black, and brimming with power.

Kyurem then fired a Freeze Shock attack, which was so powerful that it completely froze the sea over in only a few seconds. Seeing it firsthand, Black fully understood why Reshiram had told him about Kyurem for two years. This is what would happen if Kyurem fused with Zekrom or Reshiram, and it's why it needed Black's help to take it down.

The opening was showing. Here was his shot to get out.

"Alright! Let's go, Prez!"

"Yeah!"

"N, we're going first! Please attack it at point-blank range from inside!"

N nodded.

"Don't let go of my hand, Prez!"

"Of course not!"

And with that, as White made a vow to never let Black go, again, they jumped, jumped to freedom.

Pure, sweet, back-where-he-belonged freedom.

"Now I can really say I'm back!"

**Author's Note:**

> Simply put, my vision of Black's imprisonment would be a journey of self-improvement and fighting a mental war with himself over how to feel about his situation. I know Black was shown as having moved on surprisingly fast from being trapped in the Light Stone for two years, and a lot of this may be OOC, but I refuse to believe he wasn't afraid and desperate at least a few times while stuck. The human mind can't force the exact same emotion to be felt for two years in a row.
> 
> Like I said, not a proper story, but that's not what I was trying to write. Just giving some ideas about some events I thought might've happened.


End file.
